Privacy advocates claimed a small victory last week, as a proposed last-minute change to an Illinois face recognition law was withdrawn shortly after being introduced. Illinois has a strong biometrics privacy law, which requires companies to get consent before collecting biometric data such as face, iris, or fingerprint scans. The change, proposed by Illinois Senator … Continue reading Activists See Threat, Investors See Cash Cow

After decades of scientists being unable to study hallucinogens like LSD, not only is promising research underway once again in the US, but more details of past related research appear to be coming to light. D-lysergic acid diethylamide, better known as LSD or acid, was once considered one of the most promising drugs in … Continue reading Soviet-era LSD Research Revealed Amidst Ongoing Studies

In late 2015, the Pew Research Center released a troubling report titled "Beyond Distrust: How Americans View Their Government." The poll revealed a shocking lack of confidence in public institutions, with only one in five respondents describing government programs as well-run. "Currently, just 19% say they can trust the government always or most of the … Continue reading Trust in Govt. Goes From Bad to Worse

Special Operations forces from multiple countries were in Florida Wednesday, firing off hundreds of rounds and rappelling down the sides of buildings "as they attempted to rescue the mayor" of Tampa. "The operation was, of course, an exercise," the Washington Post reports, "but it was also a public spectacle for a force that has tried desperately … Continue reading Another Day, Another Drill

While US Special Forces are "not on the forward line" in the fight to take back Raqqa from the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), according to a Pentagon spokesman, they are certainly close. Photos from Agence France-Presse published on Thursday, in fact, show US forces in the Syrian village of Fatisah not only … Continue reading Patching up differences in the Gray Zone

It's been nearly 15 years since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, yet the revelations and controversy surrounding them continue. On Tuesday, former Rep. Tim Roemer (D-Indiana), who was also a member of the 9/11 Commission, called for the release of the infamous 28 pages of the initial congressional 9/11 investigation known as the … Continue reading Terrorists, Muppets, and 28 Pages about 9/11

With neither Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump nor Democrat Hillary Clinton topping 40 percent favorability ratings in the latest RealClearPolitics average, it's clear that both major parties are in trouble. That could be good news for Libertarians. Media outlets including Politico, The Guardian, and The Hill all feature stories today about the Libertarian Party's prospects, … Continue reading Libertarian Party Sees Opportunity as Convention Looms

If you thought the battles over plausible deniability, public image, and rights and responsibilities related to hacking people's phones ended when the FBI paid hackers a million dollars to unlock the San Bernardino shooter's phone, think again. The ostensible PR and political war between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Apple Inc. has been a … Continue reading More Attacks in War Over Hacks